Graduate student opportunities in plant ecology – U. of British Columbia Jennifer Williams Department of Geography & Biodiversity Research Centre University of British Columbia, Vancouver
I am looking for one or two M.Sc. or Ph.D. students to join my growing lab group. Potential research areas include investigating spread of invasive plants in grasslands in interior BC and working in a new experiment investigating the effects of changing rainfall on plants and insects in the Garry Oak savanna ecosystem on Vancouver Island. There is also the potential for students to develop their own research projects on related questions in these ecosystems. Other ongoing research in the group includes projects on how contemporary evolution influences the speed at which invading populations move across the landscape, how changing abiotic conditions influence life history strategies of plants, and how plant-herbivore interactions vary across a latitudinal gradient. We take a variety of approaches including experiments in the field and greenhouse and quantitative models. Ideal prospective students will have completed an independent research project; have proficient quantitative skills (statistical or modeling), or the motivation to develop them; be interested in developing their own research projects; and will bring curiosity and independence to the lab. Please see my lab website for more information: http://williamslabubc.weebly.com/ and find information about applying to UBC Geography here: http://www.geog.ubc.ca/graduate/. Students in my group benefit from interacting both with a diverse group of geographers interested in the environment, and with ecologists and evolutionary biologists from across UBC, who are brought together by the Biodiversity Research Centre for classes, seminars and discussion groups. All students admitted to Geography are guaranteed a stable minimum income that comes from a combination of teaching assistantships and UBC fellowships. Applications are due January 10, 2016, but I encourage interested students to contact me well before this date. Please send an inquiry email ([email protected]), including a brief statement that describes your research interests and why you are interested in graduate school, and attach your CV and an unofficial transcript.
